I’m always on the hunt for my next project, goal, or thing to do. Some stuff I come up with on my own. But more often than not, I find something that inspires me to serve as my jumping off point.
But finding inspiration can be tricky. And sometimes I think I’m never going to be inspired again, I’ve used up all the inspiration there is. But then something will catch my eye and off I go.
So, here are some places where I find inspiration:
1. Blogs. I read tons and tons and tons of blogs. I look forward to getting up every morning and reading through my favorites blogs. I always find inspirational pictures, words, and ideas. My Google Reader is full of every time of blog – crafting blogs, lifestyle blogs, writing blogs, etc… So next time you go through your Reader, read posts for entertainment but also use blogs to inspire you.
2. Pinterest. Playing around in Pinterest is a fine line for me. Sometimes I find myself spending too much time looking at other people’s projects instead of making time for my own projects. So I limit how much time I spend messing around on Pinterest as not to get too sucked in and fail to pursue my own stuff. But it is a great source for finding fresh and inspiring projects. Make sure to pin your own stuff, so others can use your projects for inspiration.
3. Magazines. I love reading Real Simple, Parenting, In Style, Marie Claire, Martha Stewart Living, and Whole Living. I find inspiration for blog posts from the articles I read, I like seeing what color pallets are in vogue, and different photography styles.
4. Ads/commercials/brochures/business cards. Whenever I’m out and about, I know I’ll see and hear a variety of promotional materials. The way businesses and groups market their events and services can be really creative. Don’t dismiss junk mail or business cards at a restaurant. Businesses often have the most interesting color combinations, fonts, and designs.
5. My own notebooks. I always carry some sort of notebook because I never know when I might come up with an idea for a blog post, I picture I want to take, a color combination, or even just a grouping of words I find particularly interesting. Every couple of days I’ll go through what I wrote down to see if anything resonates with me. Sometimes not, and that’s fine. But sometimes I come up with the best ideas from random stuff I write down.
6. Friends and family. I love talking out my ideas with my family and friends. They know me best, so they help me flush out my ideas. I take inspiration from their take on my ideas for blog posts or projects. They often have other view points or think of a way to improve on my idea.
7. Google. Sometimes I’ll just Google and see what I can find. Let’s say I am interested in…herb gardens. I’d Google around on variations of the phrase herb gardens, and I am sure I will find not only information on herb gardens but also pictures and recipes and vlogs and who knows what else. Just watch out if you Google “poison ivy.” There is a lot more information on how to make a sketchy looking Halloween costume than actual information on poison ivy.
8. Browsing. I am sure you run several errands a week. The grocery, Target, CVS, etc… I spend a good deal of my week at various stores, so I use the opportunity to see what speaks to me. Maybe a display will trigger an idea. Or I might see some packaging I like. Take a picture of it with your phone and/or write down some notes. I make boring errands fun when I keep my eyes open for something that might piqued my interest.
Think of finding inspiration like being on a game show. Go about your day and see how many ordinary things, shapes, colors, and ideas that you can turn into something interesting. But also, don’t take it too seriously. Whenever I force something, it never works, so I try to let inspiration find me.
How do you find inspiration and stay inspired?
